Leg support for crutch

ABSTRACT

A leg support for attachment to a crutch for supporting the affected leg of a user, and having a cushioned upper surface. The support is preferably adjustable to a variety of heights on the crutch, and adjustable to position the cushioned upper member at one or more preselected angles for enhanced comfort.

[0001] This invention relates to crutches, and in particular to a legsupport that can be mounted on the crutch to support a user's leg. Thispatent application claims priority from U.S. Provisional ApplicationSer. No. 60/182,046, filed Feb. 11, 2001.

[0002] Crutches have taken many forms over the years, and all have beendesigned to permit a user to ambulate while protecting a leg, that is tobe able to ambulate without the need to place all or part of the user'sbody weight on the user's leg(s). Even so, known crutches have notaddressed the needs of many users to be able to rest the affected leg bysupporting it while standing for long periods of time.

[0003] This invention addresses this long felt and unmet need byproviding a leg support that can be readily attached to a conventionalcrutch, and which provides a support whereon the user can rest theaffected leg. The invention will now be described in detail withreference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004]FIG. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a leg supportaccording to the present invention.

[0005]FIG. 2 is a right side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

[0006]FIG. 3 is a left side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

[0007]FIG. 4 is a top view of a second embodiment differing from that ofFIG. 1 in that the support can be angled for enhanced comfort.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] Turning now to FIG. 's 1-4, a leg support according to thepresent invention is shown generally at 10. Leg support 10 includes alateral member 12 and a vertical member 14. Vertical member 14 is shapedto closely receive the lower portion of a crutch 16, to which it isattached by two bolts 18 and 20 in the preferred embodiment. In thisembodiment, the holes 18 and 20 are spaced apart a distancecorresponding to the spacing of predrilled holes in the lower member 22of the crutch. The spacing is typically 1 inch, which permits the legsupport to be fittable to most commercially manufactured crutches. In analternative embodiment shown in FIG. 4, three holes 24, 26 and 28 areprovided. Holes 26 and 28 are positioned so that when either is engaged,along with the upper hole 24, the lateral member 12 is angled downwardlytoward the front or back to enhance the comfort of the support to theuser.

[0009] The leg support of the present invention is of particular benefitin several situations. First, in the case of an amputee the end of theuser's leg can rest directly on the leg support, thereby transferringpart of the user's weight from the arms back to the leg. In the case ofan injury to the lower leg, the knee can rest on the knee support totransfer part of the user's body weight to the leg, again relieving theuser's arms of part of the user's body weight. In this instance, theadditonal benefit is that the user can rest the weight of the leg on thesupport rather than having to continually suppurt the injured leg toraise it off of the ground. Another benefit of the leg support of thepresent invention is that it converts the crutch into a leg support thatcan be used while the user is sitting as well as standing.

[0010] The leg support of the present invention can be used by mostanyone requiring crutches as a result of its adjustability along thelength of the lower member of the crutch, and a single design isinterchangeable for use with either a right or left side crutch.

[0011] The leg support of the present invention can be manufactured inany suitable conventional manner, i.e. by casting, fabrication, ormolding. In addition, it can also be attached to a walker in addition toits utility with crutches.

I claim:
 1. A leg support comprising: a lateral member for supporting auser's leg, the lateral member having a cushioned upper surface; and, avertical member connected to the lateral member for engaging a crutchframe, the vertical member having at least two holes spaced apart apreselected distance, the preselected distance corresponding to thedistance between predrille holes in a crutch.
 2. A leg support accordingto claim 1 wherein the at least two holes in the vertical memberincludes a first hole vertically offset from a pair of laterally spacedapart lower holes, each of the lower holes spaced apart from the upperhole by said predetermined distance.
 3. A leg support according to claim2 wherein the lateral spacing of the lower holes is selected to providepreselected angular displacement of the lateral member.
 4. A leg supportaccording to claim 1 wherein the lateral member is contoured to conformto a user's leg.
 5. A leg support according to claim 1 that furthercomprises an angled support extending between the lateral member and thevertical member.
 6. A leg support according to claim 1 wherein the legsupport comprises a molded member.
 7. A leg support according to claim 1wherein the lateral member cushioned upper surface comprises a removablepad.
 8. A crutch comprising: a vertical member having an upper portionfor engaging the under arm of a user, a handle for gripping, and a legsupport, the leg support comprising: a lateral member for supporting auser's leg, the lateral member having a cushioned upper surface; and, avertical member connected to the lateral member for engaging the crutchframe, the vertical member having at least two holes spaced apart apreselected distance, the preselected distance corresponding to thedistance between predrille holes in the crutch.
 9. A crutch according toclaim 8 wherein the at least two holes in the vertical member includes afirst hole vertically offset from a pair of laterally spaced apart lowerholes, each of the lower holes spaced apart from the upper hole by saidpredetermined distance.
 10. A crutch according to claim 9 wherein thelateral spacing of the lower holes is selected to provide preselectedangular displacement of the lateral member.
 11. A crutch according toclaim 8 wherein the lateral member is contoured to conform to a user'sleg.
 12. A crutch according to claim 8 that further comprises an angledsupport extending between the lateral member and the vertical member.13. A crutch according to claim 8 wherein the leg support comprises amolded member.
 14. A crutch according to claim 8 wherein the lateralmember cushioned upper surface comprises a removable pad.